By DAVE GUFFEY for GoGriz.com
The University of Montana’s Kareem Jamar recorded a double-double and the Grizzlies made key free throws late in the contest and snapped a long home winning streak by the host team, to register a 77-69 road win over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits Thursday evening in Frost Arena.
The Grizzlies improve to 1-1 overall and snapped SDSU’s 30-game home winning streak, which was the longest winning skein in Division going into the 2013-14 season. It was the home opener for the Jackrabbits who are now 0-3 on the season.
“It was just the Grizzly way, with our guys playing with guts and guile,” said UM head coach Wayne Tinkle on the post-game radio show on KGVO. “Our guys hung in there. We couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean early in the game, but found a way.
The Jackrabbits extended their halftime lead to seven points (32-25) on a lay-up by senior guard Brayden Carlson in the early going of the second half (18:23). But, the Grizzlies battled back and out-scored the Jackrabbits 7-0 over the next couple of minutes, and when senior center Eric Hutchison scored on a lay-up with 16:27 left to play, Montana took a 33-32 lead, and led the rest of the way.
SDSU stayed within striking distance throughout the final half though, and sliced UM’s lead to 73-69 with 32 second to go on a three-pointer. But, junior guard Keron DeShields and junior forward Mike Weisner both went 2-of-2 from the line in the final half-minute of play to ice the win for the Grizzlies.
Jamar had 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists and played all 40 minutes in the game. It was Jamar’s eighth career double-double and it was his 62nd career game scoring in double figures.
Also in double figures was for UM was DeShields with 12 points, while Hutchison and true freshman guard Brandon Gfeller scored 11 points each. True freshman point guard Mario Dunn added 8 points, while Weisner had 7.
The Griz were prolific shooting the ball in the second half, going 15-of-22 (68.2%) from the floor and making 10-of-13 (76.9%) three-pointers. SDSU had led 25-24 at halftime.
Senior forward Jordan Dykstra led SDSU with 20 points, while Carlson added 17.
“We finally started making some baskets, and drew up a new offense that they hadn’t see before, and we fought our way back into it before halftime,” Tinkle said. “It was ugly, but we found a way. This was a team effort. I told the team after the game that this was my eighth season (as UM’s head coach) and we’ve won some big games on the road early in the season, and this one was about as big as they get. Our guys really believed. Now, we just have to nurture that, and keep in going.”
Montana is off for a week and then plays its first home game of the season on Friday, Nov. 22, hosting the University of San Francisco.
UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA (1-1) JAMAR, Kareem 8-14 4-8 23; DESHIELDS, Keron 4-10 3-4 12; GFELLER, Brandon 4-5 0-0 11; HUTCHISON, Eric 3-5 5-5 11; DUNN, Mario 3-5 0-1 8; WEISNER, Mike 2-3 2-2 7; LOPEZ, Jack 1-1 0-0 3; GREGORY, Jordan 1-3 0-0 2; MARTIN, Andy 0-0 0-0 0; KEMP, Chris 0-0 0-0 0; EMERSON, Nick 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-46 14-20 77. add 1-1-1
SOUTH DAKOTA ST. (0-3): Dykstra, Jordan 8-16 3-7 20; Carlson, Brayden 7-13 0-0 17; White, Chad 3-10 6-7 13; Larson, Cody 3-9 3-4 9; Broman, Anders 1-5 1-2 4; Horstman, Zach 2-3 0-0 4; Heemstra, Marcus 1-2 0-1 2. Totals 25-58 13-21 69.
University of Montana……… 24 53 – 77
South Dakota St………………. 25 44 – 69
3-point goals–University of Montana 11-23 (JAMAR, Kareem 3-6; GFELLER, Brandon 3-4; DUNN, Mario 2-3; DESHIELDS, Keron 1-5; WEISNER, Mike 1-2; LOPEZ, Jack 1-1; GREGORY, Jordan 0-2), South Dakota St. 6-20 (Carlson, Brayden 3-7; Dykstra, Jordan 1-3; White, Chad 1-5; Broman, Anders 1-3; Horstman, Zach 0-1; Larson, Cody 0-1).
Fouled out–University of Montana-None, South Dakota St.-Carlson, Brayden.
Rebounds–University of Montana 29 (JAMAR, Kareem 12), South Dakota St. 36 (Larson, Cody 11).
Assists–University of Montana 15 (JAMAR, Kareem 8), South Dakota St. 9 (Broman, Anders 4).
Total fouls–University of Montana 23, South Dakota St. 19.
Technical fouls–University of Montana-None, South Dakota St.-None.
Attendance: 2,472
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